Hesperantha ballii Wild

ballii: named after John Ball, orchidologist, who collected the type for this species.

Perennial herb, 12-25 cm tall. Leaves 4, lower 2 basal, linear; upper 2 sheathing along the stem. Stem erect, unbranched. Spike 1-2-flowered, the flowers down-curved, facing the ground. Floral bracts 11-14 mm long, green flushed with red, the outer bracts with margins united for c. 3 mm. Flowers white with dark red on the outside of the tepals; perianth tube 11-15 mm long curved near the apex, slightly exceeding the bracts. Anthers yellow, pendent.

Restricted to the Chimanimani Mts, Zimbabwe and Mozambique